Read All About It
by misty-williams
Summary: Misty is an aspiring writer working as a journalist at a newspaper company. With her sisters recently moving in with her and her writing career going nowhere fast, a vanilla latte sounds just about right. Well, it does until someone bumps into her at the café. Literally. Pokeshipping AU with many pairings to come, including: Contestshipping, Ikarishipping, LeafGreenshipping, etc.
1. One of Those Days

It was one of those days.

I got almost no sleep, and the little sleep I did get was in the early morning hours, so I ended up missing my alarm clock when it went off, leading me to be late for work.

Come to think of it, I could've gotten to work on time if Lily, Violet, and Daisy weren't hogging the bathroom all morning. One bathroom for four girls - _especially _when three of those four girls don't know the importance of punctuality - is not ideal.

As I finally get to work, I find myself checking my watch hoping I can make it on time. I can't be late again.

So it figures that when I reach my office, my boss, Gary, err, _Mr. Oak_, greets me.

"… Ms. Williams, is everything all right? You've been late for the past 3 days, and you're usually _never_ late."

"Yes sir. I'm sorry, it won't happen again." I tell him, trying to keep my personal problems as far away from my work as possible.

When I first started working with **The Kanto Times**, Gary was the type to flirt with all the women in the office, including me.

Now, I normally wouldn't stand for that sort of behavior, especially in the work environment, but I needed the money… and I still do. Not to say I don't like my job, I love writing. I just would rather write novels than being told what to write about for newspaper articles.

My sisters have everything handed to them; they're models, and you'd think they'd have their own place, but they are currently crashing with me, the sister who has to actually work to pay for her rent and everything else. Somehow the irony of the situation seems to elude them.

As for Gary, he now has a fiancée, Leaf. Apparently they're madly in love, and it shows, for instance, he doesn't waste his time flirting with all the women.

I start thinking about him and Leaf, and I wonder what that would be like; being engaged that is. Actually waking up to someone you love kissing you, greeting you amorously, rather than the needless knocking on your bedroom door from your three older sisters asking if you've seen their hairbrushes.

I've always been a romantic, but as time has gone on, I've put all of that on the back burner in lieu of reality. The bills won't pay themselves, as the saying goes.

So, I sit down at my desk and open my laptop to get started. Of course, the first task is to check my notes and email and make sure everything is up-to-date with the other department members. Or so I'd say if anyone asked.

The first thing I find is an email from my friend, Sakura.

"_Dear Misty,_

_I wanted to see if you were free to meet me at the Cerulean Café after you're done with work today?_

_I hope you're well!_

_Love, Sakura"_

I look around to see if anyone will see me checking and replying to personal messages before beginning to type.

"_Dear Sakura,_

_I'd love to meet you there; I'm in need of a vanilla latte anyways._

_As for how I've been… I'll just tell you when we see each other._

_Love, Misty"_

I close my email and sigh, seeing Sakura will be good for me, maybe talking about how aggravating my sisters are will be therapeutic. And who knows, maybe I'll finally meet someone worth meeting at the café.

But that's ridiculous so I put the thought behind me.

The workday moves sluggishly now that I actually have something to look forward to afterwards but, like a trooper, I muddle through the sticky notes, the poorly edited final article drafts, and the one or two outlines that are ready to be turned into literary works of art. I spend the rest of my seven hours suffering through a dreary yet hurried lunch, endless typing, and thirty minutes of dealing with a jammed printer (to no avail).

When I'm finally done with everything, I pack up my laptop and drive to the café.

It's been a while since I've seen Sakura; I know it'll be nice to talk to her seeing as she's in the same boat as me. Well, I mean, she hasn't lived with her sisters for _years_, but she is the youngest of them all.

I open the door and look around for her familiar face. After searching for a few seconds, I decide to sit in one of the only empty seats available.

I set my laptop out, make my way to the register.

The man in front of me seems to be flirting with the barista mercilessly. He has no regard for the people behind him, asking how she's doing, how her day has been, and the likes. I suppose he's just being nice, but by the way this blonde girl blushes, she's clearly head over heals for this guy. I roll my eyes. After all, I have things to be doing other than watching this embarrassing scene on display in front of the whole coffee shop. Now, don't get me wrong, I love seeing happy couples as much as the next romantic, but now, it just seems to be getting under my skin. Finally, the man wishes the girl a good rest of her day and I'm able to order my drink. A few minutes later, I'm holding an aromatic, warm, caffeinated beverage of my choosing.

I then set the paper cup by my laptop and begin to work on my next assignment for **The Kanto Times **while I wait.

Things are fine for the first minute or two. The usual mess of trying to find the one post-it note I need in a pile of useless highlighter-colored note, the next sip or two of my latte, and the tapping of a few assorted keys. And then _it _happens.

Some moron, looking down at his phone probably texting away, bumps into my table. But that isn't the worst part; no, it isn't.

This bumbling idiot knocks over my drink onto my laptop. Oh no, but the thing is, it's not _my_ laptop, it's the company's.

I'm about to have a nervous breakdown. I watch, petrified, as tan-colored liquid pours out and fills the crevices between the keys, seeping into the hardware. There's an electric ticking sound and the monitor blacks out immediately afterward. And for a moment, I just sit there and take it all in.

I'm so dizzy from anger I can't see straight. It's when I hear _his _voice, the same flirtatious voice I heard earlier, that I know where to direct my fury.

"Uh, I'm sorry; are you okay?"

"Am I… okay?" I ask.

I think my eye is twitching; I'm _sure _of it.

"I didn't mean to bump into your table, I just thought some might have spilled on you and burnt your hand or something…"

"Burnt? No, no you didn't burn _me _at all."

Is he blind? No, I'm certain he is because he hasn't even mentioned the fact that he broke my computer!

So naturally, I calmly and politely ask him that very question. 

"Are you blind or _what_?"

"Huh? Me? No, I'm not; like I said, I know I accidentally bumped into your table and spilled your… Hey, what happened to your laptop?"

We both stare at the blank screen, eyeing the coffee that's still seeping bit by bit between the keys. I mentally lay the poor computer to rest one last time before squaring my shoulders and turning to face the idiot who caused such destruction once more.

"What happened to my laptop? _You _happened to my laptop, you loser! You fried it! It's dead!"

I know, 'loser' isn't my best insult, but in my defense, I was seething and if I couldn't see straight, I certainly couldn't think straight.

"Uh, here; let me help you." He says while grabbing some napkins and dabbing uselessly at the keyboard, like that was going to save it somehow.

This guy is unbelievable! He has the nerve to bump into my table, break my computer, and then act like he's some noble hero? No, I won't stand for this!

So I slap his hand away and say as kindly as possible, "I don't need your help! And you're going to pay for what you did to my laptop!"

"I'll make up for it, I promise I will, really." He stated back with a firm gaze, staring me in the face for what seemed to be the first time. "But I can't do anything about your computer until—"

But I don't want to hear it.

"I don't want any of your lame excuses, idiot, I just want a new laptop right now!"

"Excuse me?" the blonde barista with a small nameplate clipped to her apron that said _shift manager_ interrupted us before I could force this guy to cough up the cash needed to replace what he'd destroyed.

"I'm sorry but if you two can't settle this quietly I'm going to have to ask you two to leave."

"Leave? Listen, lady, I—" I started.

I'm about to give this _Serena _a piece of my mind but before I can do anything, this guy is pushing me toward the exit. Finally, I think I'll have my chance to really stick it to him but he cuts me off before I can even form the first statement.

"Look, I'm sorry if I troubled you in any way."

_Sorry if you troubled me in any way? _Yeah, you could say that. What an idiot.

Oh, but the stupidity continues.

"But, uh, maybe I can catch your name?"

This guy… He destroys my most valuable possession, _which isn't even mine_, and then asks me for _my name_? Well, I suppose this will work best. If I have his name, I can easily track him down.

So, I take a deep breath and reply, "Misty, my name is Misty. And yours is…?"

"I'm Ash, Ash Ketchum."

"Well, Ash, I hope you know now that you owe me."

"Owe you? Uh, yeah, I guess. But listen, I have somewhere I have to be—"

"You're not trying to get away, are you? I will track you down wherever you go, you

know. I have the right to tear you limb from limb." I say, still furious

"Uh, um, well yeah, but I mean, I'm not trying to get away, you see I have to go cause… It's my mom, my mom's in the hospital."

"…Is it very serious?"

"I'm not sure, I just got a call from my neighbor telling me that my mom hurt her back while gardening, I was on my way when, well, you know."

So that explains him being preoccupied with his phone.

"Ok, well I won't keep you, but where can I find you, you know, so you won't get away without paying me back for my laptop that you destroyed?"

"Oh, uh, well I work for a newspaper company near here."

"Really, which one?"

When he replies, I swear everything goes blank: my sight, my hearing, everything. There's only one thought buzzing in my head.

Ash Ketchum, the very same man who broke my laptop, works at, wouldn't you know it – **The Kanto Times**.

Oh, it's more than just one of those days. It's a freaking nightmare.


	2. An Unlikely Turn of Events

Is this a joke?

It must be an elaborate prank. I leave my table with my laptop to be replaced with a fake one, some actor strolls along and bumps into my table "_accidentally_," and to top it all off, he supposedly works at the same company as I do.

Well, great job everybody! Whoever you are, you can come out now!

"Misty? Are you okay?"

I'm not sure if I am or not.I mean,_ of course_ I'm not okay, but I can't let him know that. If he knows that we work at the same place, he'd want to know all about what I do, what my life is like, and worse of all, he'd want to become my friend!

No sir, laptop murderers are not welcome among my group of acquaintances.

"I, yeah I'm fine."

"Good, well, here's my number if you want to get in touch with me, but I gotta get going now."

"Oh, ok…" I reply dumbly.

I look around, noticing that quite the number of people have been watching Ash and I yelling at each other. Ok, mostly me yelling at him, but still. He killed my laptop! I could have done a lot worse than yell at the guy.

So, I sigh, take my broken laptop with me and pull out my phone.

"Hello?"

"Sakura?"

"Misty? What's up? I was just getting ready to leave to meet you at the coffee shop, why are you calling me?"

"Something sort of…happened."

"Misty, is something wrong?"

"Well, I was waiting for you in the café, right? When this _IDIOT _bumps my drink onto _the_ _company's_ _laptop_."

"No way!" Sakura replies.

"Yeah. But it gets worse."

"Really?"

"Guess where he works?"

"Um, I don't know…"

"Just guess."

"I don't know, Misty, just tell me!"

"**The Kanto Times**."

"NO!"

"YES!"

"Did you tell him you work there, too?"

"Of course not! I'm going to get the money he owes me and avoid the guy for the rest of my life!"

"Misty…He's going to find out eventually."

"He will not! I haven't seen him at the company at all in all the years I've worked there, I met him at a café, so I won't see him till he pays me for the laptop and that'll be it!"

"Whatever you say, Misty."

"And what does that mean?"

"It means, Misty, that whenever you have an idea in your head, no one can change your mind, about it. You're stubborn!"

"I am not! Take that back!"

After a moment of realization, I sigh and say, "Ok, I see your point, but I am right about this. I'm going to get a new laptop and this "_Ash Ketchum_" will be out of my life for good."

I arrive home, to see my sisters lounging around the living room: painting their nails, reading magazines, and watching some crappy reality TV show.

I roll my eyes. It's been like this for two weeks now; the only one of my sisters I can somewhat get along with is Daisy, the oldest of the four of us. However, even _she _gets on my nerves sometimes.

"Misty, welcome home!"

"Hi, Daisy."

"Like, how was your day?"

"Oh, you know, long and boring."

"Why don't you sit down with us and, like, watch TV?"

"No, I have a lot of work to do."

"Ok, but could you grab us all some apple chips from the kitchen? We're, like, starving, and we've been dying to have some junk food for, like, ever."

After giving them their snack, I walk away toward my room and turn around to see them and wonder how they got so lucky. Well, lucky isn't the right word. Airheaded. Yeah, that's the one. The three of them are models, and have been traveling the world (they won the trip, by the way) and now suddenly when they get back, they crash at my small apartment. I just don't get it, but then again, I never understood my sisters.

I decide to outline my next assignment with pen and paper, which I haven't done in forever. It reminds me of when I was a little girl though. I remember getting my first journal. It was the first thing that was actually mine, since most of my belongings are hand-me-downs. I look in my second drawer to find it buried underneath my published newspaper articles. I hold the tattered book in my hands and I wonder why life went this way. Why my parents divorced, why my sisters live with me and treat me like a slave more than a sister, and why I'm still a journalist for a newspaper company.

When I was younger, it all seemed so simple. I was going to grow up like Mommy and marry a wonderful guy who loved me more than anything. I was going to write books like Cinderella and Snow White. I was going to be happy.

I put my journal away, as it tends to bring up the past that I don't want to remember.

I start writing my outline, but now I've just made myself upset, so I rest my head on my desk. I can hear the trashy television show from the other room and my sisters gossiping, but that doesn't stop me from dozing off.

I wake up with a start, I squint my eyes as the sun is peering through the blinds. I shake my head trying to remember why I'm sleeping sitting at my desk. Then it all hits me, I went to the café to meet Sakura but some idiot dumped my drink all over the company's laptop. I decide that that's it. I'm going to call that reckless buffoon and demand he pay me back for what he broke.

Luckily, it's the weekend so that gives me more time to get a new laptop from that lowlife.

I look at the napkin he quickly and messily scribbled his number on, rolled my eyes, and began dialing the number.

"Hello?"

"Is this Ash Ketchum?"

"Yeah? Who's this?"

"This is Misty, the girl whose laptop you destroyed?"

"Oh, right, uh, do you want to come to my mom's place so we can talk?"

"Seriously...?"

And so, I went.

I drive over, him having to give me directions since I no longer have access to the internet without my laptop, and wouldn't you know it, his mom's house is picture perfect. Seriously, it even has a white picket fence!

I get out of my car and notice there's a garden, and the house was recently painted. I wonder if Ash was the one who did those things, but then I remember I'm furious at him and continue my way to the door. I knock as quickly and as politely as possible, trying to compose myself before someone answers the door. As angry as I am, I don't want to come across as a terrible human being.

Finally, the door opens, and who answers the door, none other than Gary Oak.

"Uh, G— Mr. Oak, what are you doing here?"

"It's alright, Misty, you can call me Gary outside of work, and I'm here making sure Mrs. Ketchum is alright."

"You know Ash's mom?"

"Of course, we're neighbors."

This is too weird. I'm thinking of making an excuse to leave already, but Ash finds his way to the door, giving me the dopiest smile I've ever seen.

"Misty, come on in."

I make my way into his mother's house, and it's, well, beautiful.

"Misty, this is my boss, Gary Oak, and—"

"It's alright, we know each other."

"Huh? How do you know each other?"

"Ash, you didn't know? Misty works at **The Kanto Times,** too."

After Ash's puzzlement and having to explain to him that I'm a journalist at the same company that he works at, we all sit down and are served tea. 

"Sorry if the tea isn't that great; my mom is usually the one who makes it when she has company."

"That's alright, Ash."

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, how is your mom doing?"

I can't believe I'm asking, but it seemed rude to me to just brush off his mother's health. 

"She's been doing fine, she hurt her back pretty badly while gardening the other day. I've told her I'd do the gardening for her, but she can be pretty stubborn."

I nod, Ash continues to talk to Gary, but after a good amount of time, I realize that I'm not going to get my laptop back unless I bring it up.

"Um, Ash, mind if I talk to you for a minute?"

"Uh, sure?"

"…I mean, alone."

"Oh, ok. Gary, do you mind?"

"Not at all, go ahead."

So I follow Ash into the kitchen. I'm not sure what I'm about to say, but, luckily, Ash speaks first.

"Why didn't you tell me you work at the same company as me?" 

What? Does he really think that every detail of my life is any of his business? No way, I'm here for one thing and one thing only: _my laptop_.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't want to let the guy who destroyed my laptop know about my career and how it's going nowhere!" I practically shout, as if he'd know anything about how I was feeling or care the slightest about it.

"Nowhere?"

"Forget it. Are you going to pay me back for my laptop or not?"

"Oh, well, I would but—"

"What did I tell you about excuses?" I warn him, wagging my finger in front of his face.

"It's not an excuse! It's just really not a good time. Money's tied up at the moment, you know, with my Mom hurting her back. I can't afford to spend extra money on anything else besides making sure she feels better soon."

I can't very well argue with that, I do feel bad for his mother, so I decide to excuse him. For the time being, anyway.

"Alright, you don't need to pay me back right away. I suppose I'll just have to borrow one of my sister's laptops or something…" Which means I have to let them know that mine is destroyed, it figures. I was hoping to keep the fact that nothing goes right in my life a secret from them.

"Oh, I've already got that covered."

"Covered?" I blink, taking a step back and looking up at him in curiosity. Well, he's certainly changed his tune from two minutes ago when he claimed he wasn't going to have the money anytime soon.

"Yeah, I talked to Gary about how I accidentally broke your laptop and he said that the company was going to give out new laptops soon anyways, so it's not a problem!" he replies confidently, sounding as if he's solved everything.

"You _told _Gary about my laptop being destroyed...?" 

"Yup, and it's all fine. Can we go back into the living room? I was going to put on the football game—"

"You're an idiot!"

"Huh?" 

"I could have gotten fired! You don't think things through, do you? You just do whatever stupid idea comes into your thick head, huh? You're lucky that Gary was so nice about it or I'd kill you!"

"Uh, I was sort of expecting a 'thanks?'"

"Thanks for what, putting me in this situation in the first place? Almost getting me fired? Do you know how hard I've worked to get to where I am?" 

"Uh—"

"You know what? Never mind. Why don't we go back to the living room? Gary is probably wondering what's taking us so long."

We leave the kitchen: Ash acting like a wounded animal, and me rolling my eyes.

"Sorry, Mr.— Gary, that we took so long. And sorry about my laptop being broken. It won't happen again, I promise."

"Oh, it's really not a big deal, Misty. I've known Ash since we were kids, and if there's one thing I know about the guy, it's that he screws up just as much as he means well," Gary shrugs in acceptance of his childhood friend's folly.

"Hey!" Ash exclaims, clearly insulted more than appeased by the comment.

"What? I'm just telling her the truth!"

I can't help but laugh, I may not like Ash, but for some reason, seeing them makes me wonder what it'd be like to have a friendship like that. I mean, I have friends, but no friends like these two. They just joke around, they get to each other, but they're happy.

"Oh, I should probably tell you two the good news."

"Huh?"

Ash and I both inquire as Gary continues to tell us what he wanted to tell us.

"The company hasn't been doing that great with online articles and the internet in general, so I thought we'd initiate a new special."

"Like what?" 

"Well, we just missed New Years…But Valentine's Day is coming up."

Uh oh. I already don't like where this is going.

"And I was thinking that I should send a team to a few other regions to experience the different ways that those holidays are celebrated."

"Um, I'm sorry, I'm confused. What does this have to do with us?"

"Well, I've been considering who to assign the job to, and I've come to the decision that you two are perfect for it."

"What?"


	3. A Dysfunctional Life

My head is reeling, so much so that it sort of shuts down all of a sudden.

"Misty? Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I just need some air."

I step outside, and it's the bitter winter chill that brings me back to my senses.

I can't do this! I can't go on a trip with _**him**_.

Sure, he seems nice enough, not to mention he's… rather handsome, but he's also an idiot!

Just the thought of traveling with that man and working together is too much for me.

Okay, so I know I can't go on this business trip. I have to come up with a plan.

Plan A: Quit.

This is the easy way out, but it simply won't do. I'd be left homeless. And worse, I'd have to tell my sisters so we'd move in together permanently.

Plan B: Get Ash fired.

This one seems sort of cruel, but he could've gotten _me _fired! Of course, he didn't... Not to mention his mother is injured and he needs the money to take care of her. I'm a scorned woman, not a monster.

Plan C: Get someone else to take the job.

I nod; surely this is the best solution. Of course, I don't want to come off as rude, so I decide to make subtle hints that I'm just not right for the job.

I walk back inside and see Ash and Gary are now standing, and seem to be saying their goodbyes.

"I'll send you an email about all the details by the end of the day. See you later, Ashy-Boy."

"Yeah, yeah, see you later, Gary."

Of course, this is when they both notice me standing there.

"Oh, Misty, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, but you know what I was thinking, Gary, about this job—"

"Oh, don't worry about it, I know you're the right fit. After all, you're a wonderful journalist, plus you're a romantic."

"Thanks, but wait, how did you—?" 

"Oh, come on Misty, we've worked together for two years, I'd think we'd know each other by now. Besides, you always have a romance novel on your desk."

Well, _that's _embarrassing.

"You read romance novels?" Ash decided to interrupt.

Great, let's get everyone involved in my life!

"Um, yeah, I do, _Ashy-Boy_."

I notice that I've gotten him upset by referring to him by that adorable little pet name. 'Good,' I think. Then it hits me. This is perfect! If Gary sees me clearly not getting along with Ash, he'll surely give the job to someone else! Right?

I look over to Gary, and he's_laughing_.

What sort of response is that? Gary must have a weird sense of humor.

"I knew you two would be perfect for the job. Oh, Misty, I got one of the new laptops for you, so here you go," my boss noted as he handed me a rather hefty box weighing a good eight or so pounds, "I'll send that email tonight, and I'll see you both on Monday!"

I just nod, dumbfounded by the fact that my plan was failing; the same plan that my sanity was basically hinging on.

It looks like all that's left is Plan D: Get this trip over with.

I pace back and forth in my room, wondering what I did to piss off whatever higher power had decided I deserved this. I mean, honestly, I'm not a novelist like I want to be, I'm currently living with my obnoxious sisters, I had my laptop destroyed by a bumbling idiot, and now I'm being told by my boss to spend two whole weeks with said bumbling idiot.

I click on the email to review the details about the trip again. I've decided that I will read it over and over until it's ingrained in my memory, so much so that this trip will just be a numb experience, just like every day at work.

_To Mr. Ketchum and Miss Williams,_

_Congratulations on being selected to visit the following regions for this assignment: _

_The Orange Islands, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos._

_Ms. Williams, you will be interviewing two couples from each region and asking the following questions:_

_When/How did you two meet?_

_How long have you two been together?_

_How does your region celebrate Valentine's Day? _

_How do you personally celebrate Valentine's Day?_

_Mr. Ketchum, you will take photographs of each of these couples and the best photographs will accompany the article._

_Your itinerary is as follows:_

_January 25__th-__26__th__ – The Orange Islands_

_January 27__th-__28__th__ – Johto _

_January 29__th__-30__th_ _– Hoenn_

_January 31__st__-February 1__st__ – Sinnoh_

_February 2__nd__-3__rd__ – Unova_

_February 4__th-__5__th__ – Kalos_

_You will return to Kanto to finish the project by interviewing two more couples in this region. This will give you from the 8__th__ to the 13__th__ to finalize the article in time to be printed for Valentine's Day._

_Please don't hesitate to reply with any questions. If you have none, I will see you both on Monday._

_Mr. Oak_

My index finger hovers over the "Reply" button. I could just tell him via email that this arrangement really won't work. I could, but Ash might find out about it at some point and claim that I was responsible for making his mom's health worse. But then again, what do I care what he thinks? I start writing a response.

_Dear Mr. Oak,_

_I realize that you believe I am right for the job, but—_

I stare at the computer screen. Then it hits me.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Sure, I may have to share the experience with a moron, but I will be going to all of these beautiful regions just like my sisters did, only I've _earned _it. Not to mention, this could be my next step to becoming a novelist!

I delete my message and close my new laptop. I look around and notice it's gotten late.

My sisters are out, probably drinking. So I get settled into bed and try my best to get some sleep...

"... Misty?"

"Misty."

"Misty!"

I snap awake to my sisters all huddled around me.

"What's going on?"

"Misty, like, guess what?"

I lean back onto my pillow, exasperated by my sisters and their ignorance toward other people and their sleep schedules.

"What?"

"We, like, are all going to move to The Orange Islands!"

"You're... what?"

Lily and Violet just giggle while Daisy explains.

"Well, you know my boyfriend, Tracey? He is moving to The Orange Islands to pursue his dream of becoming an artist! And naturally, I decided to move with him!"

"Okay, so why are Lily and Violet going, too?"

"Um, duh! The beach, the boys, the bathing suits?"

Ah, right, I forgot, my sisters can frivolously move wherever they want.

Wait a second…

"Then why did you move in with me?"

"Well, uh—"

Oh my God.

"Oh my God, you were mooching off of me!"

"Misty, I wouldn't say 'mooching,' I would say living with you and having you pay for groceries and rent and everything else."

"That's what mooching means! Whatever, just get out."

"Misty, are you mad?"

Mad? No, just frustrated. I'm not even upset with them! Ok, yes I am, but I'm mostly disappointed that I didn't see this coming.

"No, I'm not mad, I just need to get ready for the day, alright?"

"Okay, Misty, if you're sure you're not mad."

"I'm _not_."

I shower, get dressed, and say goodbye to my sisters.

"We'll send you a postcard!"

"I'll look forward to it."

Then, just like that, they're gone.

I wonder what happened to us. I suppose that them being so close in age while I've always been just 'the runt' has something to do with it. But it's more than that. I was _daddy's girl_ while my sisters were putting on our mother's makeup.

I look at a framed photograph where my red hair is barely visible while my sisters are posing for the picture.

I just smile sadly. It'd be nice if we were a functional family, but I suppose my life hasn't exactly been 'functional' anyway.

Maybe my life was doomed from the start. Ever since my parents got divorced, I was meant to fail at all of my career paths and future relationships.

I suppose being a journalist isn't terrible, some people would love to have my job. I mean, I do love it in a way since I love writing. It's just that I have no passion for it.

And I love romance, but again, I haven't felt the passion described in the movies and novels. I'm old enough to know that fairy tales aren't real, and love at first sight is a load of crap, but maybe the little girl in me still believes in true love.

I start packing for the trip, and I hope that I made the right choice by deciding not to try and get out of it.

I look at my phone and notice I missed a text from Sakura.

_Hey, what happened with the computer killer?_

I stifle a giggle, because I don't want to laugh. I still want to be mad, but I can only be upset for so long, I might as well tell Sakura what occurred so I press the _call_ icon and press the cell to my ear, enduring through a couple of rings before I hear the click of someone picking up.

"Guess what happened?"

"Misty?"

"Yup, it's me, and you were right."

"Right? About what?"

"Ash Ketchum isn't going to be out of my life as soon as I had hoped."

"Oh no, what happened?"

"Well, you know he works at The Kanto Times, right?"

"Yeah...?"

"Well, it looks like I'll not only be working with him, but traveling with him to _six different regions_."

"No!"

"Yup."

"I'm so sorry, Misty. Wait, can't you just turn down the job?"

"Not really, I mean, I need the money and, besides having to work with this Ash guy, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"That's true. What's the assignment about anyways?"

Shoot, I really didn't want to tell her that...

"…Valentine's Day."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Misty! That's perfect for you! You _love_ romance!"

"Yeah, but not when I have to deal with a buffoon."

"Who knows? After this trip, the two of you might be Mr. and Mrs. Buffoon."

"Shut up, Sakura."

"Oh, come on, Misty. You've seen enough romantic comedies to know how this works. You meet this guy and you immediately hate each other, but for some reason, you have to spend more time with him and then, BOOM, you fall in love."

"Yeah, well, life isn't a romantic comedy," I bitterly remind her.

The next day is Monday, there has never been a day I've dreaded the commute to work more. Okay, _the trip_ is something I dread more, but let's be honest, the uneasy feeling of trying to get along with someone who you are determined to hate for eternity right before having to travel with them for two weeks is just, well, uncomfortable. To say the least.

I arrive at work early, like I used to before my sisters moved in. I look around anxiously, hoping that Ash isn't there. Then I wonder: why haven't I ever seen him here before?

That's when I see Mr. Oak heading towards his office.

I decide to casually interrogate him about Ash.

"Good morning, Mr. Oak."

"Oh, good morning, Miss Williams. Are you excited for your assignment?"

"Uh, yeah. I was just wondering since Ash works here, how come I haven't seen him yet?"

"Oh, well, his hours are different than yours. On that day you met him, he _was_ on his way to work, but he got a call from my grandfather—"

"Your grandfather?" 

"Yeah, he was a professor, he actually founded this company though it was originally meant to distribute medical journals and scientific discoveries. I've been taking care of him for a while now, and luckily he was able to get help for Mrs. Ketchum. After all, Pallet Town isn't that populated. Chances are she wouldn't have gotten help if it wasn't for him."

I nod, I do feel badly for Ash's mom, but it doesn't quite make it okay for me to be fine with traveling with Ash himself.

"Wait, shouldn't Ash stay home? After all, his mom is injured."

"We talked about that, and I'll be making sure she's alright."

"Taking care of your grandfather and your friend's mom? Not to mention you have work, isn't that too much for you to do?"

"No, Leaf helps out a lot, too."

I smile. I can picture the two of them aiding his grandfather and Ash's mother, and Leaf making sure Mr. Oak gets his work done, too.

"Of course, I suppose I should help Leaf though, we're planning on getting married in the summer."

"Oh, Mr. Oak, congratulations, I love summer weddings."

"Well, you'll definitely be invited."

A grin finds its way on my face, even if I can't find myself a guy, I can enjoy other people's happiness.

Right?

I find my way to my desk and I go to grab my current romance novel from my bag, however I leave it in there. It dawns on me, I've spent too much time reading about love and not really experiencing it. Not anymore! Maybe on this trip I'll meet the right guy. Who knows? Stranger things have happened.


	4. Proposals

I didn't get any sleep last night. I tossed and turned, and when I heard the birds chirping, I knew that these next two weeks would be the worst two weeks of my life.

Not to say that I didn't already know that before today, it just sort of brought all of those feelings of dread and anxiety to the surface.

I look at my phone to see the time; then I turn my head to see my packed bag for the trip.

I could call in sick, but that would leave no notice for Mr. Oak and the trip would have to be postponed and that would be both bad for my boss and the company.

Besides, I've already decided that this trip is a once in a lifetime opportunity; I'd be stupid not to take it. Right?

I get up and go through my morning routine, I get in the shower, get dressed, get my lunch ready, and now I add the fact that I'll be bringing my credit card and other travel necessities along with my luggage.

I'm about to leave my apartment when I take a moment to soak it all in, as much as it's been, well, a dump, it's been the first place I've lived by myself. Not to mention, it's the only place that has felt like home since my parent's house.

I smile weakly, I will miss being in Cerulean City, and Kanto in general, but like I said before, this trip is going to be good for me. Or so I hope.

I arrive at work on time, as I usually do, and as I walk into the building, I notice Ash walking in front of me. I suppose Mr. Oak told him to come in so we'd all be able to discuss last minute details about the trip, including getting our plane tickets.

"Ah, good morning, Mr. Ketchum, Ms. Williams." Mr. Oak greets us.

I have to wonder, is it odd that these two were childhood friends but now they 're working at the same company and they have to refer to each other as "Mr. Ketchum" and "Mr. Oak"? I suppose it would be weird, but they're probably used to it by now.

"Morning, G- Mr. Oak."

Well, that's not surprising that Ash isn't used to it, he seems like the forgetful type, definitely clumsy at the least.

"Well, I see you two are prepared for the trip, here are your tickets, and if you have any questions, please ask now or you can always email me on your trip."

"I think we're all set." I say, already ready to get this nightmare over with.

"Oh, I just have one question…" Ash says, _of course_ he has to drag this on longer than it needs to.

"What is it?" Mr. Oak asks.

"Well, you mentioned that I'll be taking pictures of each couple we interview, I was just wondering what sort of photograph are you looking for in particular?"

"Hm…" Mr. Oak seems to be actually considering this. I just figured we'd take a quick picture of each couple smiling together, but I suppose I'm not a photographer and this has to be perfect so, I'll just keep my opinion to myself.

"Let's see, we could go with the usual posed picture of them smiling together, but I really want something that readers will be drawn to, something that will spark their interest. Of course, we can't really expect a grand romantic gesture captured on camera, but try and get more candid moments on camera. Does that answer your question?"

"Yes?"

Clearly, this guy is an idiot; I suppose I have to translate for him.

"He means that he wants you to take pictures when the couple are doing cute things, like looking into each other's eyes or kissing."

"I knew that!"

"You didn't seem like you did two seconds ago…" I mumble under my breath.

"Alright, you two, I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to talk about this on the plane, so I'll see you in two weeks!"

How can my own boss be an idiot, too? Does he not see how this Ash guy and I _clearly_ don't get along? Maybe this is a test, and I have to show how I can handle dealing with difficult people. Well, if that will get me into the novel world, I'll do it.

I will, of course, regret this decision.

We take separate cars, and meet each other at the airport. Things are fine because we haven't talked to each other, but that changes once we get on the plane.

"Man, I can't wait till this assignment is over with." Ash groans.

What did he just say? HE can't wait till we're done with this trip? The guy who _wrecked_ my laptop insists that this trip is _his_ burden? Oh no, I won't stand for this.

"Listen, buddy, you're not the one stuck with me, okay? I'm the one stuck with you. So here's what we're going to do, you're going to sit here, and not say a word. I will be here, working diligently like the saint that I am. Are we clear?"

He seems taken aback, like that what I just said was the last thing he expected to hear.

"I was just saying I hate Valentine's Day and all that crap and I couldn't wait to get back home to my mom, but fine, if you don't want to talk, that's fine."

Geez, why does he turn everything around to make _me_ feel guilty? He acts like such a hero when really he just, well, I don't really know him that well, I suppose. But still! He could've said that in the first place so I wouldn't assume that he was referring to the fact that he was upset having to travel with me. Then again, I sort of was the one that jumped to conclusions. I almost apologize when I realize, no, this is _his_ fault. He's the one that ruined my computer, he's the one that is already making this trip a nightmare, and he's…Well, also really concerned about his mother and hasn't really done anything malicious to me on purpose.

But I've already said that I don't want to talk to him, I'd seem like an idiot if I said I wanted a fresh start. Instead, I close my laptop and look out the window. This is going to be some trip.

We finally arrive at our destination: The Orange Islands. I stretch once we get off the plane, and notice Ash is still, well, for a lack of a better word, gloomy.

For the first time, I start considering how _he_ feels. I realize that he's miles away from home, away from his mother, who has recently been injured, to work on some project he has no interest in. He probably is doing it for the money, like me, but instead of wanting something like fame and fortune, he just wants to make his mom better.

I feel like a jerk. I try to swallow my pride, but there's something still holding me back from telling him that I'm sorry.

Then I hear Sakura's voice in my head,

"_It means, Misty, that whenever you have an idea in your head, no one can change your mind about it. You're stubborn!"_

She's right, I decide, I am stubborn. And I realize, that if I can't stop being stubborn, I'll likely end up dying alone. So, I take a deep breath and say, "Hey."

"Oh, you're talking to me now?"

"Look, Ketchum, the reason I'm talking to you is—"

I notice my anger getting the best of me. I talk myself into calming down; I know I need to stop being so stubborn.

"What? You want to yell at me for a mistake I made when we first met? I'm sorry, okay? But just because you're holding a grudge against me won't ruin this trip for me, I'm going to get through it and go home and make sure my mom is okay."

"I wasn't—"

"I get it, okay, you hate me, you can't stand me. Seriously, why Gary stuck me with you, I'll never know."

I just stand there, dazed. Well, fine, Mr. Photographer! If that's how you want it, then that's what you'll get!

We set foot on Trovita Island; we can only visit one area for each region, which makes sense since we'll only be staying two days in each area.

Ash is clearly starting to search for couples, obviously trying to get this 'nightmare' over with, while I'm still searching for a way to make things at least mildly okay between us.

After deciding that I was going to be mean and rude to him throughout the trip, my heart just isn't in it anymore.

I decide, instead, to focus on the work that I'm here to do. Cause nothing takes your mind of your troubles than diving headfirst into your work, right?

We immediately see a couple walking to different outside shops, and we decide to talk to them.

"Excuse me, are you two by chance a couple?" I ask the two of them.

They look at each other, a light blush rushes across both of their faces, as they nod shyly.

We sit down at an outdoor café, and I begin the interview while Ash takes pictures. 

"All right, so we're writing a newspaper article about couples throughout the regions for Valentine's Day. I have a few questions, would you mind answering them?"

They look at each other and nod, letting me know I can proceed.

"So, what are your names?"

The boy with brown hair and blue eyes says his name is Ralph Jayne and the girl with blonde hair and blue eyes says her name is Emily Birnbaum.

_I smile; they look young, but happy. _

_"Alright, when and how did you two meet?"_

_They both giggle, "Well," Emily begins, "we've known each other since we were in pre-school. We'd always fight and compete for who had the best show and tell, but we'd usually always bring in the same thing." _

_Ash continues taking pictures. Luckily this isn't distracting for the couple, though._

_"Okay, so how long have you been together?"_

_"Um," Ralph begins, "about two days, actually."_

_"Two days?" I ask, surprised._

_"Yeah, we really didn't like each other for the longest time, but I suppose we both started liking each other and one thing led to another and we just got together."_

_"Well, let's see, how does The Orange Islands normally celebrate Valentine's Day?"_

_"Ooh, it's really lovely, usually each person gives each other something they handcrafted themselves."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yeah, The Orange Islands are known for their glass shops, especially. Of course they're usually found on Sunburst Island. People can go in and make something really nice for their Valentine."_

_I nod, and realize the last question isn't that fitting for a new couple, but I decide to give the question a twist._

_"Lastly, how do you two plan to personally celebrate Valentine's Day?"_

_They look at each other, blushing. They're an innocent, young couple, and I can't help but enjoy their company._

_"Well, we'll probably go on our first __real__ date."_

_"Oh really? Do you have anything in particular in mind?"_

_"Well, Ralph says he's surprising me, but I can say that I'd love to go out to eat at a romantic restaurant."_

_I grin, and I look up at Ash to see if he's at least somewhat interested in this cute couple, but he has a stoic look on his face as he continues looking into his camera._

_"Well, that's all the questions I had, I hope you two have a wonderful Valentine's Day."_

_Ash and I begin walking around again, but he clearly doesn't want to be near me, so he says he'll be heading toward the hotel. _

_Before he leaves though, I decide I __will__ make things right._

_"Listen, Ash, I'm really sorry for what I said back there, on the plane I mean. And really for everything I've said since we've met. I really do feel badly. And I was hoping,"_

_Hoping? For what?_

_"To be friends?" He finishes for me._

_Friends? Wasn't that what I was avoiding in the first place? _

_"Well, we don't have to be friends. We can just be acquaintances that get along?"_

_He looks at me, straight in the eye for the first time since we've been on this trip. I worry that he'll just leave me behind, but why? Then he smiles, and I can't help but be a little happy about it._

_"Alright, acquaintances, that sounds good."_

_I find myself looking around the Island by myself. Ash, although saying he was fine being acquaintances, mentioned that he was still worn out from the plane ride, so he ended going back to the hotel._

_I decide to look around, after all, I really do want to enjoy this trip and experience all that the different regions have to offer. _

_That's when it happens._

_A girl notices a guy who seems to be her older brother, and is about to walk in front of a car when I grab her by the hand._

_The auburn hair girl looks at me with wide eyes, then at the street, then back at me._

_"You saved me!"  
><em>

_She says joyfully, as if she wasn't going to get run over two seconds ago. _

_"I guess I did. Are you alright?" I ask._

_"Yeah, I'm fine!"_

_Suddenly, another voice is screaming._

_"Mahri!"_

_"Rudy!"_

_The girl runs into the arms of the boy she was supposed to meet on the other side of the road. _

_"Oh, Mahri, why didn't you look both ways?"_

_"I'm sorry, but look, this woman saved me!"_

_The man looks over to me._

_"Thank you so much for saving my little sister." He says._

_"It's not a problem." I say, honestly._

_"No, if you weren't there, I'd have lost my little sister. Please, come have dinner with us."_

_"Huh?"_

_He introduces himself as Rudy Rogers. I'm a little uncomfortable with the situation, but he is handsome, and he seems like a gentleman. _

_We arrive at his house, or I should say, mansion._

_Okay, maybe it isn't a __mansion__, but it is compared to my apartment back home. _

_"Welcome to my home." He says, gesturing toward his house._

_"It's beautiful," is all I can manage to say._

_Mahri drags me into the house and shows me around, while Rudy gets dinner ready._

_"So, Misty, what are you doing here in The Orange Islands?"_

_"Oh, um, I'm a writer, well a journalist specifically, I'm actually working on an assignment."_

_"Oh really? My brother loves to write, too! Although he's more a dancer…"_

_"Really?"_

_"Oh, yeah! But he doesn't really write or dance that much anymore. You see, my brother has always been taking care of me, but I'm not a little kid anymore, and I've just been hoping for someone to come and, well, be there for him."_

_"Be there for him?"_

_"Yeah, like, be his girlfriend!"_

_"Girlfriend?!"  
><em>

_"Yeah, and I suppose this is me being childish, but when you saved me, I had hoped, that maybe you were going to stay here."_

_"…What?"_

I ended up staying for dinner, but leaving right after. But I didn't quite get away until after Rudy mentioned the same thing Mahri did, that I should stay here, with him.

I feel dizzy on my way to the hotel, things like this don't happen! Rich, handsome guys _don't_ ask you to stay with them on a tropical island.

But, it happened. I know I can't stay here because of the assignment, but what about after? I could come back, but I realize that'd be stupid, after all, he probably says that sort of thing to all the girls. But for some reason, it's his little sister that has me convinced it wasn't a trick.

I finally get to the hotel and check in. I go to my room and dream of staying here, only the guy by my side isn't Rudy, but I'm not quite sure whom it is.

The next day I wake up to waves crashing, and I'm actually not as troubled about this whole trip anymore. I get ready for the day and meet Ash in the lobby of the hotel.

"So, how was your day looking around the island yesterday?"

"It was—"

Then I remember everything that happened yesterday, and I panic.

"Oh, it was a normal day, yup." 

"Okay?"

A normal day? Who says that when they're in one of the most beautiful places in the world? And why am I so worried that Ash will find out about Rudy?

I push the thought aside and we head out to meet our second couple.

We look around for hours but we can't seem to find anyone who looks like a couple, when:

"Misty? Misty is that you?"

Oh God. I know that voice.

"Daisy?"

"Yeah! Misty, how are you? Wait, what are you, like, doing here?"

"Well, I'm actually here for an assignment."

"My little sister is so important in her job, right, Tracey?"

"Wait, Tracey's here?" I ask.

"Sure am!" He says as he appears out of the crowd.

"Tracey, it's so good to see you!"

I actually introduced Daisy to Tracey, we went to the same college, and I somehow was the one that got him and my sister together.

"I hear you're working on your art? That's awesome." I say.

"Yeah, well being a 'handyman' isn't really my passion."

"I know what you mean. Oh, um, Daisy, Tracey, this is my partner for the project, Ash Ketchum. Ash, this is my sister, Daisy and her boyfriend, Tracey."

Ash reaches out to shake hands with both of them.

"Nice to meet you both." He says genuinely.

"Well, as much as I'd love to catch up with you two," I begin, "we really should get to work."

"But, Misty," Ash says, "this is perfect for our project."

"Wait, wha—" Then I realize.

He wants us to interview Tracey and Daisy.

We sit down in another café, and I look around, not really enjoying the situation I'm in at the moment.

"Alright, so we're doing a newspaper article for Valentine's Day, would you two mind if we asked you some questions?'

"Ooh, a Valentine's Day special? My little sister is getting so far in her job! Not to mention with the guys."

"Huh?"

"Well, aren't you and Ash dating?"

Oh, this is ridiculous.

"No, we're not!" Both Ash and I protest.

Daisy looks pleased with herself, but I try and not let it bother me.

"Okay, so I already know three out of four of these questions, so we'll just skip to the last question: How do you personally celebrate Valentine's Day?"

"Well, that's actually a secret." Tracey says.

I notice him twiddling his thumbs, while Daisy is unaware of his nervous behavior. Tracey can be shy at times, but not around me, so why is he so tense when I asked him about—

Oh my God he's going to propose.

The four of us say our goodbyes, and as Daisy and I say our farewells, she whispers,

"Misty, I'm, like, really sorry about what happened back in Kanto. Lily, Violet, and I, we didn't mean to take advantage of you, honest."

I look into her eyes and I know, she means it. As much as my sisters annoy me, and may take advantage of me, they do love me.

"It's ok, I forgive you." I tell her.

"Good, and make sure you keep in touch, I want to know how you and this project are coming along."

I'm about to agree but when she says the word 'project' she glances at Ash.

She really believes he and I are a couple! Or at the very least, she believes we _could_ be.

I'm about to tell her she's insane and _nothing_ romantic is happening on this trip, but she just grins, waves, and leaves with Tracey.

And just like that, she's gone.

Then, I hear his voice.

"Misty?"

"Rudy?" 

"Who's Rudy?" Ash whispers to me.

"Oh, um, he's a guy I met yesterday." I tell him quickly.

"Yesterday? But you said yesterday was normal…"

I'm about to tell him it's none of his business, but Rudy finally reaches us.

"Misty, how have you been?"

"Uh, fine?"

"I was just walking around and I saw you, and I'm glad I did. Have you given any thought to my offer?"

"Offer?"

"Misty, who's this?"

"Oh, um, sorry, Rudy this is Ash Ketchum, my partner for the project I'm here for, and Ash, this is Rudy."

Rudy reaches out his hand, and Ash, unlike meeting Daisy and Tracey, seems, well, a little annoyed.

"Well, Misty, did you decide?"

This is ridiculous, right? I just met the guy yesterday and then what; he wants me to spend the rest of my life with him? I mean, he does seem sweet, but this is too sudden!

"Look, Rudy, I'm sorry…." I begin.

"Aw, so that's what it is." Rudy replies.

"What? What's what?" I ask.

"Oh, it's nothing. He pauses. "Ash, was it?"

"Uh, yeah."

"You're a very lucky guy."

It's not until he's not able to hear me that it hits me.

He thinks Ash is my boyfriend!

I call out to him but he's already gone.

Oh well, the offer _was_ sudden.

That night, I open my new laptop and begin my first paragraph of the article.

_Valentine's Day is a universal holiday among the regions of: The Orange Islands, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, and of course, Kanto. However, those in Kanto may not realize that although we all celebrate the same day, we don't necessarily celebrate in the same ways._

_In The Orange Islands, couples will normally handcraft their gift to their Valentine for the occasion. More specifically, many glass shops can be found Sunburst Island, and couples will make their own gift for their loved one._

_Such couples, like the locals of the island Ralph Jayne and Emily Birnbaum (who met in pre-school) along with Daisy Waterflower, the stage name of the model and synchronized swimmer, and her boyfriend, Tracey Sketchit (who met through the author of this article) find themselves celebrating the holiday in their own way. While Ralph has just started dating Emily, Tracey and Daisy have been dating for two years, leading to their Valentine's Days to be quite different Both Ralph and Tracey have decided to surprise their girlfriends on Valentine's Day. As Emily hopes for a date in a romantic restaurant, Daisy finds herself in the dark about the plans of Tracey, and how he plans to propose to her._

I hit the 'save' button and start fiddling with where an engagement ring _would_ be.


	5. Ships and Lighthouses

I wake up early the next morning and find myself rummaging through my suitcase. Today is the day Ash and I will be going to Johto, and I'm not sure what I really want to find in my luggage until I'm holding an old tattered black journal. I open it up and find old notes, poems, and stories I've written throughout the years.

I suppose part of me is wondering why I let the opportunity to be in a relationship with someone as sweet as Rudy, not to mention I'd live on Trovita Island which is gorgeous; I've always loved the water, so living on an island would be a perfect fit for me.

I flip through my journal, and on the very last page, I see note saying: "Dear Future Self."

I begin to read:

_Dear Future Self,_

_By now you are probably a famous author, and you've probably outshined your three older sisters…Good job!_

_As for love, I'm not sure if you'll find the right person._

_I don't mean that in a pessimistic way, of course, after Dad and Mom's divorce, I am a little wary of marriage._

_But, the point is, not everyone finds love, maybe you're just one of those people._

_I know it probably hurts to __hear__ read this; after all, you were raised with fairy tales and romantic comedies, so of course you feel as if you need someone to share your life with._

_But I guess my point in all of this is, if you're as successful as I know you are, you don't need a boyfriend._

_I don't think any of us really do._

_We just need ourselves to be as strong as we can be._

_Isn't that enough?_

_Sincerely,_

_Your Past Self_

I find myself rubbing my forehead with my thumb and index finger. My past self is right; I don't need a guy in my life to make me complete.

I begin getting ready for the next plane ride to the Johto region: Olivine City, in particular.

The plane ride actually goes pretty smoothly, I read my book and Ash watches his movie, as we've decided we're not friends, but we're going to be civil to each other.

Once we arrive, I'm speechless.

Honestly, the sea is beautiful, not to mention the lighthouse. I go to turn to Ash, and the child in me just finds herself saying "Isn't it romantic?"

Ash turns and looks at me as if I have two heads.

I suppose it is odd for me to say something like that, given we're not friends, and from what I know about him, he isn't exactly the biggest romantic in the world.

So I decide to explain myself.

"I mean, the lighthouse, can't you imagine going up there and being with the person you love?" 

"Like my mom?"

Is he serious? Oh my God, he is!

"No, no not like your mom. I mean, someone you love romantically."

"Oh, well I never really thought of that."

"Romance?" 

"Yeah, I suppose. I've been too busy working on becoming a professional photographer, I haven't really thought about romance."

"Hmm." 

I suppose he's got it right, like my past self said, it's more important to become who you want to be than finding someone who you want to be with.

I just suppose I'm still that little girl who begged her dad to read her fairytales before she went to sleep.

We don't speak to each other until we find our first couple, a couple our age. They introduce themselves as Marina Davis and Jimmy Schemmel.

We find a nice spot by the water to discuss how we're asking couples from each region to answer a few questions.

They both agree to do it, they seem like energetic people, passionate in a way. I can't help but smile.

"Okay, so when and how did you two meet?"

"Oh, we've been friends since we were little. Our parents were friends so we pretty much grew up together."

"That's sweet. Well, then let's see, how long have you been together romantically?"

They look at each other, and Marina finally says, "Three years now, I think."

"Wow, three years? That's amazing."

"Yeah, we've actually talked about getting engaged, but things have been pretty hectic."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, you see, I'm an actress, and I've been really busy with all that, an we decided we wanted to be settled when we get engaged."

"That makes sense, well, I'm happy for you guys, anyways."

"Thanks, oh were there more questions?"

"Oh, yeah, how does your region celebrate Valentine's Day?"

"Oh, well Johto celebrates both Valentine's Day and White Day. Valentine's Day is for the girls to give the guys chocolate while White Day is meant for the guys to give chocolate to the girls." 

"Yeah? That's just like Kanto." Ash says.

I look at him, wondering what caused his interest in the interview.

"Well, I suppose that makes sense, I think Hoenn and Sinnoh are the same way." Marina adds.

"Really?" I ask.

"Oh yes, I think it's Unova and Kalos that are the most different." 

"Huh…"

"Is something wrong?"

"No, um, so how do you two personally celebrate Valentine's Day?" 

"Oh, that's actually why we're here. We decided to celebrate today since Marina will be busy on Valentine's Day.

"Yeah? What do you two do?"

"We go up into the lighthouse."

"Really?" Ash and I both ask.

"Yes, it's really beautiful."

"Oh, I've always wanted to go into a lighthouse! They just seem so romantic. Not to mention they protect the sailors."

"Protect the sailors?"

I look at Ash, it may not seem like much to him, but someone showing interest in something I'm passionate about, well, it makes me happy.

"Yeah, you see, the lighthouse is meant to let ships know where the land is, that way they won't crash into the rocks or anything."

"That's actually pretty cool."

I smile; I can actually see this trip going smoothly, if things go as well as this day has gone.

"Well, we shouldn't intrude on your Valentine's Day, so we'll be going…" I begin to say.

"Oh, don't be silly, you need more than one couple per region, right?"

"Yes, but I don't see how that—"

"You two should stay then! We've invited our friends, another couple, to meet us here."

"Really? What are their names?"

"Lyra and Silver."

We wait, and as it turns out, Ash has his own love of the water. Of course, he tells me he loves swimming and playing pool games, but he doesn't seem to understand my love for the sea, though.

It's just so deep, pure, strong. It's everything I wish I were.

I should've been a marine biologist.

Then we hear a voice calling out to Jimmy and Marina.

"Hi, Lyra! Hello, Silver!"

They look as if they're our age, as well, and I wonder what sort of couple they are.

"Oh, and who are you two?" 

"Oh, um, I'm Misty, and this is Ash. We're working on a newspaper article about Valentine's Day, so we were hoping to interview you and, um, Silver was it?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"Uh, well, would you two mind being interviewed?"

"We'd love to be interviewed!" Lyra says, linking arms with Silver.

After getting comfortable, I begin the interview process once more.

"Alright, so how and when did you two meet?"

"We were actually neighbors growing up, and we sort of drifted apart during high school and college, but then one Christmas Eve we were both home, and our relationship sort of just, rekindled."

"How sweet! Oh, um, so how long have you been together?"

"I think it was two years ago?"

"Alright, and we know how the region celebrates the holiday, but how do you two personally celebrate Valentine's Day?" 

"Oh, well I'll usually go out and spend time with my girl friends, but Silver is really sweet and will get me chocolates."

I wonder why Silver hasn't answered any questions, and why he just seems closed off altogether, but I suppose if Lyra loves him, he must be a good person.

"Well, now that we've all been interviewed, let's all go see the amazing lighthouse I've heard so much about!" Lyra says, excitedly.

We all make our way to the lighthouse, but Marina tells us that only two people can fit at a time.

"Oh, well, that's fine, um, you and Jimmy can go, then Lyra and Silver, and I suppose Ash and I will go last."

"Oh, that reminds me, is Ash your boyfriend?" Lyra foolishly asks.

"What? No, of course not!"

"What do you mean, 'of course not?'"

"I mean exactly what I said! Of course you wouldn't be my boyfriend!"

"Oh, yeah? And why wouldn't I be your boyfriend?"

"Because! You're hardly my idea of a boyfriend!"

"Yeah? Well, you're hardly my idea of a girlfriend!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright, you two, I'm sorry I said anything." Lyra finally says to us.

"No, no, _I'm_ sorry, we're acting like children."

Jimmy and Marina go up to the lighthouse first, followed by Silver and Lyra, and then finally, it's Ash's turn and mine.

We make our way to the top, and the first moment I see the view, I lose my breath.

"Oh…Wow."

"Huh." 

"What do you mean 'huh?'"

"I just mean, I guess I didn't expect it to look so…"

"Beautiful?"

"Well, yeah."

"Do you see why I love the ocean now?"

"It's cool looking?"

"Are you sure you're twenty-seven and not ten years old?"

"Well, why do you love the ocean so much?"

I wonder if I should tell him the real reason why I love the sea so much.  
>But I decide to just say, "No, it's stupid."<p>

"I'm sure it's not stupid. I mean, you love the ocean, right? When you love something, you just love it. It's the same thing for photography and me. I just love the thought of capturing moments, you know? Things you wouldn't normally be able to remember. I think it's just awesome how it all works, you know?"

I look at him, and I finally see what I've been missing. Someone who would do anything to make someone else feel better. Someone who is passionate about what he loves. Someone who, although pushes romance aside, is someone who would love with all his heart.

"Yeah…I know."

That night, I open my laptop to type my next paragraph of the article.

_Johto is one of the few regions that celebrate both Valentine's Day and White Day. The first holiday is for the girls to give guys presents, such as chocolate, while the latter day is for the guys to give girls something in return. However, couples in this region have their own traditions. Silver and Lyra, who have been together for two years and were once neighbors, spend Valentine's Day separately until the end of the day, when Silver will give her chocolates. Jimmy and Marina, another couple from Johto, have been together for three years now after knowing each other for most of their lives. These two have a tradition to go visit the Olivine City lighthouse, although Marina has plans this Valentine's Day, she and Jimmy found time to do so beforehand. In a way, relationships are a bit like ships and lighthouses. We don't necessarily need the other to be complete, but a little light in a dark ocean surely couldn't hurt._


End file.
